Since her sister, Shirley, died, Marilyn Hagerty of the Grand Forks Herald writes her iconic weekly letters to different people each week now. It’s not quite the same for Marilyn fans but this week’s recipient does conjure up some big dreams. What if we could get Queen Elizabeth and Marilyn together?

I read a Reuters news story saying that after 63 years on the throne, you seem to have no intention of stepping down. Well, I have been writing for newspapers off and on for 73 years, and more than 50 of those years have been at the Herald. I have been writing three columns a week from my home office on Cottonwood Street.

I went viral five years ago when I was only 85. What a hoot that was, Elizabeth! I flew into New York five times to be on the television shows “Anderson Cooper 360” and “Today,” as well as NPR. And I ate at Le Bernardin. Then I was a guest judge of “Top Chef.” And Anthony Bourdain had a series of my restaurant reviews published in a HarperCollins book. He said they tell an untold story of the way people eat in the Midwest.

I’ve been in London several times over the years, and I just never ran into you anywhere. I suppose you keep pretty much to the castle. We used to find tickets for afternoon stage shows.

She turned 90 yesterday. She’ll host a public celebration at the lift station named in her honor on June 15.

About the blogger

Bob Collins has been with Minnesota Public Radio since 1992, emigrating to Minnesota from Massachusetts. He was senior editor of news in the ’90s, ran MPR’s political unit, created the MPR News regional website, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day laments that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.

NewsCut is a blog featuring observations about the news. It provides a forum for an online discussion and debate about events that might not typically make the front page. NewsCut posts are not news stories.